I love it how the word "magic" keeps coming up in the comments below. It's the best possible and entirely accurate one word summary for these three days of shows and deadhead community camping. Magic, Thank you Jerry.

We were within ten feet or so of the Jerry-side of this pair of mics, under 20 feet from the stage. These guys made us a great tape. The bass is unbelievable. Thanks for that, too.

There is roughly a minute of space missing between where drums breaks off and space begins in track 14 (compare the SBD). We need someone (HEY CHARLIE MILLER!!!) to make us a good composite of this show.

Note that both the David Lindley & El Reyo X set, that opened, and the Los Lobos set that followed before the Dead, are available here on Archive.org. Go ahead, relive the whole show -- or hear it for the first time.

Could masquerade as a really good matrix and get away with it.

-q

I sang a little while and then flew on.

I was 22 and we were co-oping in SF . made the trip with a car full of student friends, partyin all the way on the 3 hr journey. Stuck in a jam n realised were were near the "garlic Festival". Ive never had a concert experience anything like this one, such connection, friendliness, positive buzz everywhere, I could imagine that it was a never ending moment. The Dead had this way of pulling out the best of the "hippy-love-vibe" in such environments and it was magical. Music set the tone for a blissful and transcendental day. Moments: wicked drum-chant-rave circles in eve, roaming up and down the hill to get close to the band and then connect with as many pockets of people as I can on the way

This was also my first show. A friend and I had driven up from SoCal, (hoo-ya, U C Riverside!) and wow, what an experience. It changed my life forever. One of the things I remember about the heat, that no one else has written about, was when they turned the huge fire-hoses on the crowd. What a relief!!! That show was my first real experience of the kindness of strangers, and people working together so everyone is okay, has something to eat, etc. and so on. My next GD show was the polar opposite... it was the show in LA where the police were later convicted of homicide. A completely and totally different scene. For that reason, I will always treasure that long, hot, strange, wonderful, blissful afternoon at Laguna Seca. Thank you, uploader, for the memories!

don't ease me in is right after tmns. it is one track

a really good aud recording

Wow. I am a little set back that almost 16,000 people downloaded a copy of my master! I recently transferred it again and Dont Ease is on the tape. Will have to re-seed sometime soon.

This was a great time and this recording was a result of quite a few people coming together to make it happen. The sound was excellent fob and this was a really fun run. I am glad so many people enjoyed our recording.

Bill Reutelhuber

My 2nd or 3rd show, I had no idaea what I was in for. My two frinds and I set out on a surf trip up the coast from Laguna. We camped while establishing memories that will never be forgotten as we eased towrds Laguna Seca. Once there, we discovered ourselves. I had A kite I was able to take into the 2nd show, as I was alone. I sailed that Butterfly kite on Jerry's side of the hill, proud. Funny thing is, is I wasn'nt alone with the kite, there were a couple others flying kites. A couple of girls, high, made their way to me and kept inquiring if "I was the Butterfly man"? I said yes. That seemed to satisfy their curiousity then they left.
I love you Grateful Dead!
Thank you so much for everything!!!!!!

My first show. Wow, 19, naive, never been that far off the farm! "What a long strange trip it's been!" Many long walk's in the mission in the rain since. Love you Jer, miss you like a best friend. It hasn't been the same since you been gone.

WoW! What a recording! Nice late 80s show. IMO 4 stars for the show and a million for the recording!!!

I melted into the hill during Estimated Prophet. Crazy Fingers was guite an experience too. I was 17 when I went to these shows. Drove the PCH the whole way from Orange County. These concerts (with a lot of help from the "TV screens and Optical Illusions") changed me forever. Never seen anything like that before. Went to the dead shows until 1995 and never compared to the Laguna Seca 1988. The 118 degree Dead Traffic Jam in Vegas was awesome too. Nothing like a Dead Show.

Thanks for letting me share.

I was attending Colorado Collge during this summer and after some toadstools I thought it would be grate to drive to CA to see the DeAD. I hopped in my bus along with a few other freaks and we drove all night to LaGoonie Bird seca. Ran into a friend of mine from PA at a grocery store pre show (hence the goonies) and proceeded to have a fantastic time on the burnin shore. This was my one and only show in California and will always be one of my favorites. First show Blossom 1984......last show Soldier Field 1994 and 45 inbetween........DAMN do I miss the FATMAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Never could decide if I liked Victim or not. These shows were hella fun. We missed the first night (yea I know, walking up to Shakedown after parking, about a mile and a half walk, all we heard was "Could you believe the China>Fingers>Rider from the night before?" all the way). High expectations for the next two days. After pitching our tents and scoring some goony birds (anyone who was there knows about those....I think I was orbiting with Sputnik after dropping a couple of those...sheeesh), my frinds and I marched on into the show. Los Lobos was great. The scene was great. The weather was great (I'm from Las Vegas, so 95 degrees was nothing, kinda like spring!), and the show was great. Yea no China>Fingers>Rider, but rear between the lines. Victim literally pinned me to the lawn. Maybe I was freaking out a bit, but it wasn't a bad freak out. I managed to stumble to the showers set up on stage left and rinsed those greys away during Touch and was not worse for the wear. Never heard Victim the same way again after that show, and never expected to after I had sobered up. Double encore was a nice treat. Shakedown was fun that night...fell asleep around 4 A.M. to the beat of a drum circle approx 30 feet away from us. Though we lost a travelling companion...turns out Bill was so lost on those goony birds, that he wandered the tents until he finally crashed not 15 feet from the tents..I tripped over him the next morning on the way to the pisser, stumbling through the fog that had crept in. Good times..now where is that time machine?

I was at all thre of these Laguna Seca shows, with Los Lobos and David Linley opening up. I remember it being real foggy every morning, then the sun would burst through around midday, then the shows started mid afternoon and ran into the night. With over 50 shows under my belt, I never did catch a Dark Star (missed the Hampton by a few nights!) but did catch the China-Crazy Fingers-Rider which has gone into history. This is pretty good quality along with the 29th, anybody know of an copies of the August 1st show?

gooney birds!!

1st Set: The groove gets off to a keen start in "LTGTR." Shake your head during a subdued but unified "Stranger." There are those who would accuse me of being a "Loser" for dedicating myself so thoroughly to this endeavor, but without any feedback {awww...let the self-pitying begin...:)} all I have is my stuff upper lip. But, in Jerry's voice i hear, "You know, I'm only in it for the gold" which I am so evidently not. Nice job. "Minglewood" gets the juices flowing again, but nothing tantamount like breathing. Chatter onstage, nothing audibly miked til some cheering then, "I seriously believe there's anyone preventing me." (Phil - probably more of that 'We Want Phil' nonsense) "Row" is an ideal call due to the setting and pacing...nothing lulls here...just a slow, steadying poke whose flow increasingly quickens through the currents. Dylan slot time, "Mobile Blues" sounds good but Bobby's singing is erratic. It's funny, he's impressively mastered the words but continues to ham it up for concertgoer approval. "Push" is more lively than usual; Brent's early small hole fillings inspire the band to get it into sync. A quick transition to the right call, "Music." It's enthusiastically sweet featuring more carnivalesque cluttering swirling... only decent climaxing...oh that's because we're "Ease" in it til the second. Nice, easy-going and bright.

2nd Set: Some nasty sounds preclude this gargantuan "Victim." Imagine a deranged 'Phantom' at an organ's helm. Rough, disconnected version. Time to warm up with "Touch." Bit blah. "Estimated" doesn't explode onto the scene, but Bobby's more than willing to spice it up with raspy yelps. Not a thorough jam, but Jerry and Brent wrap around each other like lovers underneath a waterfall. "Eyes" is choppy but filled with some warm poignant moments Moments of 'Drums' sound akin to a cacophony of Vegas slots (mid 7's) "Space" comes and goes without making a statement, leading to the return of "Smokestack." Unfortunately it's very much like the trailings of cigarette smoke - quickly floating away as if it never existed. "GDTRFB" continues the disappointingly unurgent performances. It's fine but undistinguishable. "Wharf" is standard fare, whereas "Throwing" is also off-base; a lack of slicknes in its wheels derailing any momentum. "Saturday" is cream-puff stuff.

Tonight's final tune is the first "US" in a bit. It's mildly rousing but still thin.

2 4/5th stars

the file for dont ease me in is tacked on at the end of music never stopped this is a killer show and an excellent recording highly recommended

Hi all-
The Dead pull out a bunch of old rockers in this show, but this download is missing the first set's closer, Don't Ease Me In.
Can anyone patch me this please?
Easy Deasy

This was my 1st show, I was 16. This was a magical experience, really excited to be able to hear it again and this AUD is pretty darned good. I know this middle of the 3-day run at Laguna Seca is the lowest rated of the 3, but it means a lot to me. It was a sweltering hot day, especially by Monterey standards where it's often cold and foggy. We didn't bring any water! So naive, but the vibe was so good and the Heads were generous and I seem to remember plenty of water to go around. I don't remember much about the 1st set, but I remember Victim from the 2nd set, Touch of Grey had everybody dancing and then the double encore with my girlfriend on my shoulders going crazy to "Wave that flag!" This was the 2nd and last year at Seca and the last year they allowed camping at shows, I'm pretty sure. It was like Woodstock or something. Listen to this. Did they ever play anything like this in 1994, 1995? Best Knockin' On Heaven's Door ever. To get this double-encore was a rarity for any year, and by listening to this Knockin' you can hear that Jerry was really inspired and for whatever reason felt the need to give us this special little gift, and it's a stunning version. Walking back to the car through the tall grass in the setting sun still humming this song is what the Grateful Dead were all about from a fan's perspective. What an amazing experience. Were they ever here at all?

I was lucky enough to have some good advise when I was young enough for it to matter. My best friends dads exact words were "I have to take you guys to a Dead show before the boys die", and he gave us a Dead Album to listen to. Little did I know this show would shape my adult life up to now. The show was great, at the time I only new a couple of songs...I remember Jerry smiling a lot...and the freak dancing next to me...and my friends dad draging some poor deadhead kid around until he was sure that the water bottle that he sprayed on him was clean. This was the first time I have heard a recording or it...good show, good vibe.

Yep, I remember the heat! I also remember the 6 cases of ice cold beer we sold as people walked up the hill going to the show. (in the valley of cars) I remember tent city. Thank god for the dead allowing taping...I am gathering all my shows.

I didn't mean for this to be printed twice. sorry. I still can picture Garcia smiling at Los Lobos' bass player Conrad Lazano (?) as he watched Grateful Dead play Smokestack Lightin' !
I was trying to quite seeing Grateful Dead this year so I only went to a few shows for which I was given a free ticket, these and the first Long Beach show.